Zürich is Switzerland's largest city and the capital of the canton of Zürich, set on the northern tip of Lake Zürich where the Limmat river leaves the lake, with the Alps visible on clear days. It combines a medieval old town, world-class museums, lakeside swimming, and the luxury shopping of Bahnhofstrasse with famously punctual public transport and very high prices.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Lucerne and Lake Lucerne
Lucerne is Switzerland's postcard city: the medieval Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), the water tower, the Lion Monument and a lakefront ringed by the Alps, with Mount Pilatus and the Rigi within easy reach.
Highlights: Walk across the Kapellbrücke and the Spreuerbrücke · Visit the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal) at Denkmalstrasse 4 · Lake Lucerne boat trip or Rigi / Pilatus excursion · Old-town squares such as Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt · Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus)
Rhine Falls and Schaffhausen
Rhine Falls (Rheinfall) is Europe's largest plain waterfall, 23 m high and 150 m wide, with boat trips to the central rock and viewing platforms at Schloss Laufen.
Highlights: Viewing platforms at Schloss Laufen · Boat trip to the central Rheinfallfelsen · Schaffhausen old town and Munot fortress · Rhine-side walk between Neuhausen and the castle
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city known for its art museums, the Swiss Science Center Technorama and a car-free old town with cafes and cobbled lanes.
Highlights: Kunst Museum Winterthur and Fotostiftung Schweiz · Technorama Swiss Science Center · Oskar Reinhart Collection 'Am Römerholz' · Old-town Marktgasse and Stadthausstrasse
Rapperswil and Lake Zürich
Rapperswil, the 'Town of Roses', sits at the eastern end of Lake Zürich with a hilltop castle, a wooden pedestrian bridge to Hurden and a lakeside promenade.
Highlights: Rapperswil Castle and Polish Museum · Rose Garden (Rosengarten) · Seedamm wooden footbridge to Hurden · Knies Kinderzoo (children's zoo) · Lake Zürich boat ride from Zürich
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a well-preserved medieval town on the Rhine with painted facades, the Kloster St. Georgen and Hohenklingen castle overhead.
Highlights: Rathausplatz with painted half-timbered houses · Museum Kloster Sankt Georgen · Hohenklingen Castle · Rhine boat trip to Schaffhausen
Bern
Switzerland's federal capital has a UNESCO-listed medieval centre, arcaded shopping streets, the BärenPark and the Zytglogge clock tower.
Highlights: Zytglogge clock tower and Kramgasse arcades · Bundeshaus (Federal Palace) tours · BärenPark and Rose Garden viewpoint · Einstein Museum · Swimming in the Aare river in summer
Basel
Basel, on the Rhine near the French and German borders, is Switzerland's culture capital with dozens of museums and a red-sandstone Münster.
Highlights: Kunstmuseum Basel and Fondation Beyeler (Riehen) · Basler Münster and the view over the Rhine · Rhine ferries · Old-town Marktplatz with the red Rathaus · Basler Läckerli and Tinguely Fountain
Säntis and Appenzell
The 2,502 m Säntis summit overlooks several countries on clear days; nearby Appenzell is a village with painted houses, cheese and traditional culture.
Highlights: Säntis cable car from Schwägalp · Appenzell village painted facades · Appenzeller cheese tasting · Seealpsee and Ebenalp hikes
Uetliberg
Zürich's local mountain at about 870 m offers a panorama over the city, Lake Zürich and the Alps, plus the Planetweg and ridge hikes.
Highlights: Uto Kulm viewing tower · Planetenweg (planet trail) towards Felsenegg · Ridge walk to Felsenegg · Uto Staffel restaurant
Engelberg and Mount Titlis
Engelberg is an Alpine resort with a Benedictine monastery, below the 3,238 m Titlis summit with its rotating Rotair gondola, ice cave and suspension bridge.
Highlights: Titlis Rotair rotating gondola · Titlis Cliff Walk suspension bridge · Glacier cave · Engelberg Abbey
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organised day tours from Zürich to Lucerne, Rhine Falls or the Alps from about CHF 85 ($106) per person including transport, with guides in English
- Private
- Private driver with car from about CHF 400 ($500) for a half day; Taxi 444 (+41 44 444 44 44) can quote
- Public
- SBB InterCity and regional trains reach almost every destination listed; tickets and timetables via the SBB Mobile app or sbb.ch
- Rental
- Car rental from about CHF 75 ($94) per day; useful for the Appenzell area but not for Bern, Basel or Lucerne
Multi-day tours from Zürich
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from ZürichWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers the train, bus and boat portions of these trips and discounts most mountain cable cars
Buy Super Saver tickets on sbb.ch a few days ahead for cheaper long-distance fares
Check the weather webcam for mountain destinations before leaving
Confirm last trains in the SBB app
Pack layers; temperatures at altitude can be 15 degrees lower than Zürich